Staff Reporter
Speakers and MPs at the PILDAT briefing on Effective Committee Membership, emphasized that it is a key responsibility for members of Parliament to strengthen Parliament and make committees effective. Speakers at the session included Senator Saussi Palijo, Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, former Senator and Secretary General PPP-Parliamentarian, Farhatullah Babar, Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, MNA and former Secretary, Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Senator Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Abdul Qayyum, Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Defence Production, Ms. Kanwal Shauzab, MNA and Parliamentary Secretary Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT.
Senator Sassui Palijo , Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, thanked PILDAT for such capability sessions and also highlighted how PILDAT has been striving to improve parliamentary diplomacy through improving dialogues with other Parliaments. She highlighted that there is not only role within your own committees, but based on a member’s expertise, they can go as guest speakers to other committees. She said committees must invite outside expertise wherever required, to improve public governance for citizens. Committees to take everyone along; make Parliament
Addressing the participants, Senator Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Abdul Qayyum, Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Defence Production, said that it is important to remember that MPs need to make committees effective by themselves being effective. Oversight does not mean adversarial relationship. It is about improving the ministries and departments we oversee as MPs.
Ms. Shaista Pervez Malik , MNA, said that her political journey as a member of Parliament has hugely benefitted from PILDAT’s work over the years in building capabilities of MPs and parties both in Pakistan and abroad. She said that committees are the soul of Parliament. Alongside being prepared for meetings, she said that it is also important that the system of committees is improved so that members get agenda of committees at least a week before each meeting.
